SW Comics Rec: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutanimals

For just plain ol fun and epic badassery, this series is freakin awesome.

Mutanimals

Writer: Paul Allor

Artist: Andy Kuhn

Published by: IDW Comics

Pages: 104 , Publish Date: August 19, 2015 Price: $17.99

Notes: Now in a softcover trade paperback format, collecting #1-4 of the monthly mini-series. So far, single issues are available in digital app from IDW app outlets, and through back issues.

Synopsis:

Old Hob, Slash, Herman the Hermit Crab, Mondo Gecko, and Pigeon Pete have become a force to be reckoned with. When someone close to the group is kidnapped, the Mutanimals end up on an adventure more wild and dangerous than they could have imagined! What mysteries lurk at…The Null Group?”

Personal Recommendation:

For just plain ol fun and epic badassery, this series is freakin awesome.

But, it’s not for everyone. It’s much for those who enjoy a world where talking mutant ninja turtles exist. It’s a lot for comic readers who delight in obscurity, love a good B-movie, and probably engage in some pretty interesting video games and cartoons. The Mutanimals simply take a formula for fun, based on taking cool animals and making them anthropomorphic badass perversions of science. Thrown in elements of the classic A-Team television series, as we have a unique team of fighters with different personalities.

The odd crew of interesting members of the mighty Mutanimals is what drew me in. These mutants much relate to the same Ninja Turtles lore, that I have come to know and love (especially the recent IDW series with co-creator Kevin Eastman). But, you don’t need to familiarize yourselves too much with the overall Turtles IDW comics mythos to enjoy the Mutanimals series. The Turtles are not even present in this, but merely exist in the same universe (as Hob and others have appeared in the TMNT series).

For the group, the lineup is awesome. We got Old Hob, a borderline one-eyed psychotic with a violent streak who has much heart for his mutated kind, and not much else for humankind. Hob is a leader, but not necessarily the best role model. But, there is a bizarre charm to his madness..

Other team players include Mondo Gecko, a young skater lizard with a knack for being smooth and cool under pressure. We got Slash, a mutant turtle who is not a teenager nor a ninja. But he’s the tank with a soft heart deep inside that hard spikey shell. We got Herman the crab, who comes off as a sort of grandpa with a knack for explosives and firepower. Pigeon Pete is the messenger perhaps, who should stay out of the trouble..but ends up taking part anyway. The group has new members who join throughout the series, of whom I will save the surprise for those who will read the book. One of which, will be a delight to those who holding a nostalgic love for the old TMNT toys.

That being said, it’s a perfect classic set up; all mercenary revolutionary fighters for a cause. The story delveops their friendship as they work together against a common enemy..of which seems a bit generic but acceptable for a new series. The Mutanimals communicate with other outsiders, of which can be friends.

The action and pacing does not slack, with lots of fighting and shooting to thrill comic readers who crave such things. In between, there are little moments of background filler and connections to the TMNT universe…however not enough to alienate the less hardcore TMNT fan. But there the big fans of any age, there is plenty. Along the way, we get some light and dark humor, with some drama, and a lot of hell yeah moments.

The art is a great match for the book, with a lot of grit and hardness about it. The best of it lies in the character designs and expressions. We have the full spectrum of feels throughout the book, which is an accomplishment considering most of the main characters are mutated animals. Such intensities like what follows below, is what gets me to cheer and root more for the Mutanimals here.

I also like the use of colors, which strategically places vibrancy well, usually to express emotion through highlighted backgrounds. Otherwise, lots of gritty tones and night effects going on throughout. Much like the TMNT world, Mutanimals shows us the possible excitement of city life that we could be missing. To do that, this style is necessary and works out.

Overall, I enjoyed the hell out of TMNT: Mutanimals for its cut-loose style of writing and classic comic book action i loved growing up. I hope for more beyond this volume, as I hope more potential readers will give it a chance. Perhaps with a growing fandom of its own, we could drop the TMNT selling point in the title as they could earn enough respect to simply call it Mutanimals. That would be awesome.

– Orion T

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Writer, picture taker, local traveler. Also, a reader, player, and viewer of creative work, especially in the realms of science fiction and fantasy. Follow my personal adventures at travelingorion.com. You may also follow me at my other site focused on the creative science fiction and fantasy arts in all forms at strangerworld.com.